Chapter III

Dizzily, Leonardo grasped his head. It was the second time within 24 hours he had received a headache, although he couldn't remember where this headache came from.
He opened his eyes but was unable to focus properly. Suddenly, a face appeared not too far above his. While it was still blurred, he knew that it was a girl because they had long black hair that spilled over her shoulders. He closed his eyes again for a minuet, trying to get his vision to refocus as the girl gently placed a damp wash cloth over his forehead in attempt to wake him up.
Leo's eyes snapped open as soon as he realized that he didn't know who this girl was or even where she came from, and he tried to sit up. His head began to throb harder than it had before and the wash cloth fell onto the bed before him. The girl jumped back in surprise as Leo tried to regain his vision.

The walls surrounding him were red, and there were wooden posts supporting the ceiling above. Green plants grew here and there from painted pots, and Leo could see two windows on the opposite side of the room, both with red curtains blocking the sun from entering. The room was a fair size with almost nothing in it but the bed he was laying in.
Leo looked around for a minuet, absorbing everything while his vision gradually began to come back to him. He noticed his blades resting against one of the wooden posts, unguarded and ready for him to take.
The girl who had been sitting by him was now up and walking quickly for the door. Leo would have called for her to stay, but he didn't know who she was or why she was there in the first place and waited.

Soon, a man dressed in white with black hair, some of it pulled into a half pony tail, entered the room. Leo, knowing who the man was, began to grow nervous without his weapons or what looked like an escape.
The girl stood in the doorway for a moment before the man turned towards her and nodded at her, which had been her signal to shut the door and leave the two to themselves.
Nervously, Leo backed away from the approaching man and eyed his blades. The man laughed.

"Go ahead," he said. "Go for your blades."
Leonardo made no move to retrieve his weapons. Instead, he threw his sheets off him and sat completely up, wishing to do nothing but leave.

"What do you want from me?" he asked in a demanding tone, a tone Shredder usually wouldn't have tolerated.

"Your alliance," Shredder answered.

"Why me?" Leo questioned, again demanding. "Why not one of my brothers?"

"As far as I can tell, you are the best. You are well trained and quick."

"Don is smart," Leo said before catching himself; it had sounded as if he were trying to bring Shredder's focus on his brothers so he would be free to go.

"All I ask is for you alliance," Shredder continued. "If you do not wish to align, then I will let you take your blades and go."

Leo hesitated. He knew if he were to refuse, he would be able to leave - but how many foot ninjas be waiting for him?

"In return, I offer you something very priceless," Shredder continued. Leo hesitated again before standing and walking towards his blades, surprised when Shredder didn't try to stop him.

"No thank you," Leo said sternly, strapping his blades properly to his back. "I'm not going to be another foot ninja for you - I don't make deals with the enemy."

He began to turn towards one of the windows, leaving his back towards Shredder.

"Not even for a chance at normalcy?"

Leo stopped.

"Normalcy...?" he questioned, not bothering to turn around yet.

"I am offering you the chance to become one of them," Shredder continued, temptingly. Leo said nothing. "Haven't you ever wanted to walk around outside - not just when it's dark - and mix with actual people?"

Leo faltered. He imagined what it might be like, being able to go to clubs and stores and to the park and where ever else he wanted to go without having to disguise himself.

"I don't..." he began, his voice hesitant and unsure.

"And what makes us enemies?" Shredder continued quickly. "What have I personally done to you?"

"You mean besides the countless foot attacks and trying to kill off me and my brothers?" Leo asked smartly.

"All that would change with our alliance..." Shredder tempted.

"No," Leo said again. "I don't think so."

He was about to walk away when Shredder stopped him in his tracks once more.

"You think you are on the good side, Leonardo," Shredder spat in a harsh tone. "You think you are fighting the evil. How do you know that your Master isn't capable of deceiving you?"

"Master Splinter would never..."

"How do you know for certain?"

Leo was about to reply, but realized that he had nothing to say. He turned towards Shredder, curious and not as hesitant.

"Tell me about my Master's deceivement," Leo said, folding his arms across his chest. "Tell me how you'll make me human, and then I'll align with you."

* * * *

Night had fallen once more and Raphael had taken it upon himself to gather his brothers to search for Leonardo.
The first place they looked was, ironically, the abandoned subway station.
Raphael threw the manhole lid off and looked around in search of anything out of place or slightly unusual. When he saw nothing, he nodded down at Don and Mikey and climbed up, careful not to make any noise in case some one or some thing was hidden from sight and waiting for them.
Don came up after Raph, shortly followed by Mikey.

"So, what are we looking for?" Mikey asked, watching Raph and Don begin searching piles of trash and other things.

"We're looking for Leo," Raph said. "You know, our brother?"

"Well, yeah," Mikey said, already knowing that. "But if no one is here, then... I don't think Leo is, either."

"We're looking for clues, Mikey," Don said, shifting through some things. "He might have been here."

"Can't we just go and actually look for him?" Mikey asked.

Raphael scooped down and picked up a piece of paper that had been lying face down on the ground. He flipped it over and began to read it.

"Hey, guys," he said, holding the letter up for all to see. "I think I found something."